Pouring spout attachment



March 16, 1965 C. R. STEARNS POURING SPOUT ATTACHMENT Filed July 19,

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CHARLES R JTmR/vs A T TOR/KEYS United States Patent 3,173,587 POURING SPOUT ATTACN'I Charles R. Stearns, 2550 High St, Oakland, Calif. Filed July 19, 1962, Ser. No. 211,032 Claims. (Cl. 222-479) This invention relates to vented pouring spouts of the type which may be mounted in the mouth of a can or other fluid containers to facilitate dripless discharge of fluid therefrom, and is particularly directed to a pouring spout attachment of this class which is arranged such that the spout is selectively retractable into the confines of the mouth of a container so as to be non-obstructing to securance of the existing container cap to the mouth.

Various vented pouring spouts have been devised for mounting in the mouth of a can, bottle, or other fluid container to facilitate discharge of fluid from the container in a dripless, smooth flowing manner. Many of these spouts have been of a design which precludes closure of the container by means of the conventional screw type cap intended for this purpose without prior removal of the spout. Still other spout attachments have been arranged such that the spout may be retracted within the mouth of the container to permit closure thereof with the intended screw type cap or equivalent means. The spout attachment may thus be conveniently retained in mounted relation to the container at all times, even when the mouth is closed by the existing cap.

Although spout attachments of the latter retractable spout type possess apparent advantages over non-retractable spouts, existing retractable spout attachments have been of relatively complex design with an attendant high cost of manufacture.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple, economical vented pouring spout attachment which may be mounted in the mouth of a fluid container and wherein the pouring spout is retractable to permit closure of the mouth with the cap intended for this purpose.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a spout attachment of the class described which is of readily assembled two piece construction including a support member adapted for sealed mounting in the mouth of a container, and a spout slidably disposed within the support member so as to be selectively extensible therefrom and retractable therein.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a spout attachment of the class described wherein an extremely effective seal is attained between the spout and mounting member when the former is in extended position to prevent leakage between the spout and mounting member during pouring of fluid from the spout.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pouring spout attachment of the class described which is readily constructable of numerous polymerized resins such as polyethylene.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the inVentiOn, which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section through a portion of a container with the pouring spout attachment installed thereon, the spout being in retracted position and the mouth of the container closed by the cap intended for this purpose.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but with the cap removed and the spout in extended pouring position.

FIGURE 3 is bottom view of the spout attachment.

3,173,587 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 FIGURE 4 is a Sectional view taken at line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a partial vertical section through the upper portion of a modified form of spout which may be employed in the attachment and which also depicts an alternative form of cap which may be utilized therewith.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the arrangement of FIG- URE 5.

Referring now to the drawing, FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, the pouring spout attachment 11 is installed on a conventional container 12 having a neck 13 provided with external threads 14 to facilitate closure by means of a screw cap 16. The container may of course have a neck which is not threaded, but adapted to sealingly engage caps of other types such as one of the snap lock variety.

In accordance with the salient aspects of the invention the spout attachment 11 is of simple, readily assemblable two-piece construction including a vented spout 17 slidably disposed in a support member 18 adapted to be insertably mounted within the neck 13 of the container. The support member includes seal ring means 19 adapted to sealably engage the upper end of the neck while not obstructing the external screw threads 14. The spout 17 may be slidably translated to a completely retracted position within support member 18 and the cap 16 screwed upon the unobstructed threads 14 to close the container as depicted in FIG. 1. With the cap removed, the spout may be slidably translated to an extended position, as depicted in FIG. 2, to facilitate smooth dripless pouring of fluid from the container. The support member and spout are arranged in a manner subsequently described to effect a fluid tight seal therebetween when the spout is in extended position.

To the foregoing ends the support member 18 is preferably of cylindrical cage construction including longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced straps 21 defining openings 22 therebetween. The straps terminate at their lower ends in a ring 24 preferably having a diametric cross strap 26. The straps 21 terminate at their upper ends in a ring 27 of a diameter to snugly fit the interior wall of the container neck 13. The ring 27 is formed with an outwardly flared flange 28 at its upper end adapted to engage the rim surface of the neck. The flanged ring 27 comprises the seal ring means 19 of previ ous mention, and in this regard it should be noted that the peripheral extent of flange 23 is less than that of the threads 14. Consequently, the seal ring 27 does not inw terfere with the attachment of cap 16 to the threads 14.

It is of particular importance to note that the cage support member 18 is fabricated from a flexible material, preferably a plastic such as polyethylene, whereby the straps 21 may be manipulated to temporarily enlarge the width of the openings 22 to an extent permissive to entry of the spout 17 during assembly of the attachment. More particularly, the spout 17 is preferably of hollow tapered cylindrical configuration with a maximum outside diameter substantially equal to that of the central opening 29 of the cage seal ring 27. The non-deformed circumferential width of the cage openings 22 is somewhat less than the spout diameter. Hence the cage is normally retentive of the spout after it is introduced to the opening 29 through one of the openings 22 which has been enlarged by temporary deformation of the cage. Preferred material of the spout is a plastic such as polyethylene.

The taper of the spout facilitates the particularly advantageous result of the formation of a liquid tight seal between the spout and cage seal ring opening 29 when the spout is extended from the cage to pouring position as depicted in FIG. 2. The spout has substantially the same length as the cage and is disposed therein with the enlarged end of the spout adjacent the bottom of the cage.

tween the spout and wall of the opening is produced." A

stop collar 31 formed concentrically about the enlarged end of the spout and having longitudinal slots 32 traversed by the straps 21 engages the seal ring 27, when the spout is fully extended atwhich time the very tight wedge fit betwen the spout and wall of the opening 29 assures a liquid tight seal therebetween.

In order to provide for the entry of air into the upper regions of the container to replace thejliqui'd withdrawn therefrom, a vented breather passage is formed inthe More particularly, a breather tube 33 extends spout. downwardlyalong the interior wall of the spout from a vent opening 34 adjacent the upper end thereof. The

tube 33 is preferably curved radially outward-at the lower" end ofthe spout to adjacently underlie the top wall of the container. Air may hence enter the upper regions of the container through the vent opening and breather tube without interference by the flow of liquid through the spout. breather tube 33 may of course bevariou'sly provided on the spout, preferably as an integral tubular extension tube thereof as depicted in FIGS. 1-4.

However, the tube may as'well be provided, as depicted in FlG- as aseparate elbow section of tubing which is received in an inverted cup portion 36 formed interiorly adjacent the upper" end of the spout in communication.

ly enga e one, of the cage openings 22. As the' spout is :moved between retracted and extendedpositions the breather tube moves longitudinally in the opening.

throughwhich it extends. When the .spout isfully} retract-ed in the cage, the outwardly extending end of the breather. tube abuts the lower ring'24 of the cage and ening add is secured in position as by means of a staple inner diameter of said seal ring so as to sealingly engage said ring in wedge relation and expand said ring in said mouth, said spout having a largest-outside diameter greater than the spacing between adjacent ones of said straps, said spout having a vented breather tube extending out- Wardly. therefrom through one of said openings, said spout having a length substantially'equal that of said cage.

2. A pouring spout prising a. cylindrical support cage formed by flexible resilient plastic material and including circumferentially spaced longitudinalstraps secured at one end to a bottom ring and secured at the other end to a cylindrical seal ring having an outwardly flared annular flange at its end, said seal ring being of a diameter to sealingly engage the inner wall of the mouth of a container with. said flange being adapted to engage the rim of the mouth, said straps defining longitudinal openings circumferentially therebetween, a hollow tapered cylindrical spout slidable in saidcage having diameters greater than the spacing between adjacent ones of said straps, said spout having a length substantially equal that of said cage, said spout disposed with its smaller diameter end proximate to said seal ring and extending freely into the central opening thereof when the spout is retracted within said cage, said spout having an outside diameter at its enlarged end commensurate with the establishment of a wedge fit between the wall of said central opening and enlarged end of the spout upon extension of the latter through the former, said spout having astop; collar concentrically about its enlarged end engageable with said seal ring, said collar having circumferentially spaced slots traversed by said straps and beinglon'gitudinally slidable therewould normally prevent full retraction of the spout. By

{virtue of vthellexibility of the cage, however, the ring 24 buckles under engagement with the breather tube, as indicated at. 38 in FIG. 1, to permit full retraction of the spout. The spout being fully retracted in the cage and the cage seal ring being non-obstructive to the threads.

14, the cap 16 may be readily secured to the container neck1'3.

Although the cap normally intended for the purpose may be utilized to close the container where a spout attachinent in accordance with thepresent invention is employed, in some instances it is desirable that a spout cap 39 be employed; The spout cap 39 is'preferably of cylindrical configuration having inwardly tapered circular recesses 41, 42 in its opposite ends. Both recesses are adapted to engage the upper end of the spout 17 in a wedge fit. One recess 41 communicates with a radially projecting liquid outlet 43, and an air vent aperture 44 extending radially from this recess is registerable with the spout vent opening 34. Thus when the cap is placed on the spout with the recess 41 engaging same, liquid may be smoothly poured from the spout through liquid outlet 43. When the cap is reversed such that the recess 42 engages the spout and the flow of fluid is thereby blocked, closure of the container is effected.

What is claimed is:

1. A pouring spout attachment for-a container comprising a flexible resilient cylindrical support cage including circumferentially spaced longitudinal straps secured between .an upper seal ring and a bottom member, said seal ring adapted tosealingly engage the mouth of a container, and a tubular spout slidable in said cage and being tapered toward said seal ring; said'spout having the outside diameter ,qf-jts large lower portion greater than the along, said spout having a breather tube extending longitudinally along the interior wall thereof from an air vent adjacent the smaller diameter end of the spout to extend radially outward from the larger diameter end thereof through onefof said longitudinal openings of said cage.

3. A pouring spout attachment for a container comprising a fle'xible cylindrical support cage including vcircumferentially spaced longitudinal straps; secured at one end to a ringand secured at the other end to a cylindrical seal ringhaving an outwardly .flared annular flange at its end, said seal ring being ofa diameter'tosealingly engage theinner wall of the mouth of a container with said flange being adapted to engage the rim of the mouth, 'said straps defining longitudinalopenings circumferentially, therebetween, a hollow' tapered cylindrical spout ,end of the spout upon extension of the latter through the former, said spout having a stop'lcollar concentrically about its enlarged end engageable with said seal ring, said collar having circumferentially spaced slots traversed by said straps, said'spout having a breather tube extending longitudinally along the interior wall thereof from an air vent adjacent the smaller diameter end of the spout toextend radially outward from the larger diameter. end

thereof through one of said longitudinalope'nings of said cage, a generally cylindrical spout cap having recesses in its opposite ends engageable with the smaller diameter end of said spout, said cap having a radially projecting outlet channel communicating with the first one of said recesses,'said cap having a vent communicating with said first, recess and registerable with the air vent in said spout, said cap disposed with one of said recesses engaging the smaller diameter end of said spout.

4. A pouring spout device for a container comprising attachment for .a container com a support member, a tubular spout slidable on said support member, means defining an air vent passage in said spout, a spout cap having a pair of recesses each engageable With one end of said spout, said cap having an outlet channel communicating with a first one of said recesses, said cap having a vent communicating with said first recess and registerable with said vent passage in said spout, said cap being positionable with said first recess engaging said spout for passing fluid therethrough and with said second recess engaging said spout for closing same.

5. A pouring spout attachment for a container comprising, a flexible resilient cylindrical support cage including circumferentially spaced longitudinal straps secured between an upper seal ring and a bottom member, said seal ring adapted to sealingly engage the mouth of a container, and a tubular spout slidable in said cage and being tapered toward said seal ring, said spout having the outside diameter of its larger lower portion greater than the inner diameter of said seal ring so as to sealingly engage said ring in wedge relation and expand said ring in said mouth, said spout having 21 largest outside diameter greater than the spacing between adjacent ones of said straps, said spout having a length substantially equal that of said cage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,205,545 Kendall Nov. 21, 1916 1,595,231 Dryer Aug. 10, 1926 1,741,476 Naylor Dec. 31, 1939 2,118,222 Nilson May 24, 1938 2,812,113 Beall Nov. 5, 1957 

1. A POURING SPOUT ATTACHMENT FOR A CONTAINER COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE RESILIENT CYLINDRICAL SUPPORT CAGE INCLUDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED LONGITUDINAL STRAPS SECURED BETWEEN AN UPPER SEAL RING AND A BOTTOM MEMBER, SAID SEAL RING ADAPTED TO SEALINGLY ENGAGE THE MOUTH OF A CONTAINER, AND A TUBULAR SPOUT SLIDABLE IN SAID CAGE AND BEING TAPERED TOWARD SAID SEAL RING, SAID SPOUT HAVING THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF ITS LARGE LOWER PORTION GREATER THAN THE INNER DIAMETER OF SAID SEAL RING SO AS TO SEALINGLY ENGAGE SAID RING IN WEDGE RELATION AND EXPANDD SAID RING IN SAID 